Chain
by Leather Sky
Summary: -p3- Requested sequel to /Clasp/. After Junpei's relationship with his father worsens, the strange relationship between him, Yukari and Akihiko is strained further. Warning: I do mean the *three* of them.
1. Broken Glass

He hated it when Dad got like this.

Right now his old man was sitting in front of the shrine, staring glassy-eyed at the blurred photo of his mom. Junpei had never thought it was a particularly good picture of her; the stiff, formal pose and dark clothing utterly failed to capture the vivacious woman he remembered from his childhood. His memories of her were much better, and he thought, more faithful to the truth.

Today his dad was being particularly trying. He was on a bad drunk and when he got like this he tended to either be violent or weepy. Right now it was weepy. And for some reason Junpei just didn't have the patience today. He had already heard about how he was a bad son for not coming around enough and then later how he was a bad son for not calling enough. When his dad went on to call him a bad son for being disrespectful to the memory of his dead mother, Junpei snapped.

"Get off it, Dad. You know just as well as I do that she didn't die. She just left you." As soon as he said it, he regretted it though. He hadn't intended to let his dad know that he'd never been fooled, but once the words were out, they were out. He looked up, hoping that maybe his dad hadn't heard, but he could immediately tell that the words had hit…deep.

His father, who had been swaying a little, was sitting stock still. He looked down at the floor and muttered something Junpei couldn't quite catch. Then he rounded on him, making Junpei flinch away from the cheap whiskey on his breath. "Left _me_? Let's get the story straight…she left _**us**_. She didn't want to take care of a dumb kid like you any more than I do. Maybe…maybe if…"

Junpei had learned not to take things like this personally, or at least, he told himself he had. He just responded calmly, "That's bullshit, Dad. If anything, I'm the one who takes care of you and you know it."

"You damned ungrateful--" the rest of their conversation didn't take place in words aside from the occasional harsh sounds that escaped one or another's throat as a blow hit or something fell or broke. Junpei left him on the floor in front of that joke of a shrine, his mother's face staring up complacently at the two of them through the broken glass of her frame.

When he got back he didn't bother trying to talk to anyone, not that it made a difference. Yukari was immediately on him. "What the Hell happened?!"

"Eh?" Junpei wasn't in the mood for this, either. "What are you talking about? I just went out for a little walk, that's what '_happened_.'"

Yukari frowned at him and wordlessly flipped open her compact to let him see. Junpei hadn't realized that he was now sporting one hell of a black eye. See Spot run.

He grunted and pulled the rim of his hat down. "That's nothing; you should see the other guy."

"…it was your Dad…right?"

"That, Yuka-tan, is none of your damned business." Junpei put his hand around hers and shut the compact with a sudden click. "Anyway, I'm busy, so…" He turned to go.

"Don't be stupid! We've talked about my mom, what makes this any different?"

"Yeah, well, your mom probably doesn't mind the fact that you were even born."

"Junpei?"

"I need a shower." Junpei shook his head and walked off, leaving Yukari hesitant to go after him. Did he really think his dad felt like that? Then, what could she say…?

"Whatever it is, it can't be that bad."

Yukari jerked and then turned around. When she saw who it was she let out her breath. "Senpai."

Akihiko adjusted one of his cuffs as he spoke to her. "There must be some reason you were just standing around blocking the door. So…what is it?" For all his appearance of casualness, though, he was obviously concerned. Yukari felt grateful. If it was Akihiko, he would fix everything. She told him about Junpei and then looked up at him appealingly.

Akihiko frowned to himself but then realized she was looking at him. "…Don't worry, I'll deal with it," he said, and then watched uncomfortably as her face visibly lit up with relief. He tried to give her a confident smile and then went up after Junpei. Privately though, he doubted he'd be much help. He hadn't even _had_ parents for years now. Something like this was completely beyond his experience, and besides, he was about the worst person on Earth when it came to comforting someone or talking about difficult things.

All the same, he didn't really want Yukari to be the one comforting Junpei.


	2. Pity

Akihiko checked Junpei's room first but he evidently hadn't returned from his shower yet. After a moment's hesitation he turned his steps to the end of the hall. Junpei was just getting out as Akihiko entered. He seemed shocked to see anyone; for the most part the boys tended to stick to certain separate times to get cleaned up and at this point in the afternoon no one was generally in here. Akihiko didn't make any explanation; instead he took silent note of Junpei's injuries. Most of them were slight but one or two of them were bad. Junpei must have realized what Akihiko was looking at because he started to turn his face away, but Akihiko shook his head firmly and closed the distance between them. "Don't do that; I need to see."

"Why? We fight Shadows all the fucking time, so why is this any big deal?"

"Stop being such a pain in the ass." Akihiko carefully turned Junpei's chin one way, then the other. That eye was really something else. And how the hell had he cut his chin anyway?

"Sorry I'm such a damn pain in the ass." Junpei still wasn't looking at him and a moment later Akihiko realized he'd said the wrong thing.

"…are you crying?"

"Boys don't cry."

'Junpei, I've already seen you cry _twice_ now." Akihiko had to smile a little as he remembered both times. Once was when they met, the other time was on the beach after Junpei had been systematically shot down by every girl there. But Junpei wasn't smiling.

"Shut up."

Normally Akihiko wouldn't have let Junpei get away with talking to him like that without a comeback or maybe even a calculated hit (just hard enough). There might be a little more to their friendship than they were letting on, but Junpei was still just another guy when it came down to it. He'd never had the inclination to treat him with any special gentleness. But this was different. Junpei was really hurting, more than he could remember seeing him hurt about anything except maybe Chidori. This was serious.

As if reading his mind, Junpei growled and pulled away. "I don't need your pity, Senpai. If you're going to be like that, do me a favor and get the hell out of here."

"I don't pity you. At least you _have_ a dad." It was a shitty thing to say, but maybe it was better to let Junpei get mad at him then to make him focus on what had happened to him.

Junpei didn't rise to the bait, though. "Yeah, well…you can have him. One dad, slightly used." He looked down at the floor. Akihiko felt more uncomfortable than ever.

Finally, he looked around and located a washcloth. He ran hot water over it and then silently applied himself to cleaning up Junpei's face a little better, especially that cut on his chin. It didn't look to be that deep, just messy…

…he realized as he was carefully going over the rest of Junpei's face that Junpei was crying again. He pretended not to know and put one of Junpei's hands to the cloth, so he could continue to hold it over his eyes until he was done. "Here, finish up. Damn, you made a mess. This towel on the floor is soaked…" Akihiko's voice hovered in different places as he walked around doing meaningless things. By the time he was finished Junpei had taken the washcloth off his face and his eyes were dry.

"Would you give it a rest? Maybe _you_ should be my dad, the way you bitch about everything."

"That's just sick. And a little scary."

"Come on, Daddy, tuck me into bed. Read me a story."

"…don't do that…"

"Nobody's going to come in here."

"_I_ came in here and surprised you a minute ago."

"At least give me a goodnight kiss…"

"Put your clothes on!" Akihiko stormed out.

Junpei pursed his lips and pulled on his jeans. "Nobody loves me." He got a soda and went back to his room, then stopped dead when he saw Akihiko sitting on the edge of his bed. "…I was kidding."

"Good, because I'm not reading you a fucking bedtime story."

"Good!"

"Good."

They glared at each other.

Finally Junpei joined him on the bed. "Move over a little. …why are you still here, anyway?"

"Well, uh…"

"No, don't tell me…Yuka-tan was worried."

Akihiko looked relieved at not having to lie. "I would have come to see about you anyway though."

Junpei frowned. "I don't need it. Besides, it doesn't concern you."

Akihiko shrugged. "Maybe not, but I guess we're still going to worry anyway."

"I don't really want to talk about it."

Akihiko let his eyes settle on the blank screen of Junpei's TV. "That's fine, I'm no good at talking about that stuff anyway."

"Then do what you're good at." Junpei's voice was almost toneless, but Akihiko still got his meaning. He turned to look at him, troubled. It was obvious that neither of them was in the right state of mind. But on the other hand, if this was all he could do for Junpei right now, how the hell was he going to say "No"?

In the end Akihiko didn't say no. He got up and locked the door. When he turned back Junpei had already tossed his clothes someplace. The moment they hit the mess that took up half his floor they blended in and only Junpei could have found them again. (He once told Akihiko he had a "system.") For his part, Akihiko carefully folded his clothes and put them on a corner of Junpei's desk, where he would at least be able to retrieve them later.

Then he slid into bed beside him. Junpei immediately got under him, making it obvious the way he intended their game to go. Akihiko looked down at him and cupped his jaw, but Junpei turned his face away.

"Don't look at me like that…don't touch me like that."

"Like what?"

"…I told you I don't want your pity…"

Akihiko was a little annoyed. "Look, I'm not in a rough mood today. That's allowed, isn't it?"

"No, it _isn't_. I need it rough, and if you can't, I'll…" A very specific threat hovered on Junpei's tongue but he swallowed it down the moment he saw Akihiko's expression.

Akihiko's voice was deceptively soft. "You'll…what? Find somebody else? Maybe try Yukari again? That won't be necessary." Junpei's eyes suddenly shut and he turned his head to the side and gasped. Akihiko went on relentlessly, "There, how's _that_?"

"…senpai…" Junpei dug his fingertips into Akihiko's shoulders and Akihiko bit his lip and wondered if he had gone too far, if he was hurting him. But Junpei's next words were, "…senpai…harder."


	3. Sunset

Afterwards Akihiko had sat up and looked down at Junpei for awhile. The other boy had fallen asleep almost immediately, making Akihiko feel even more guilty for tiring him out like that. But that had evidently been what Junpei wanted…after debating with himself he got up and pulled on his clothes. He had no way of knowing how long Junpei'd be out for, and besides if he needed him he knew where to find him. Just now Akihiko didn't feel like he could hang around in that room for much longer. The smell of their sweat hung in the air and it reminded him of everything he had done earlier.

He went to back to his room. That night, no one knocked at his door.

Junpei's normal level of cheerfulness returned long before his eye healed up, in fact the very next day he was acting as if nothing had happened. But to some of his friends it seemed a little forced. It put a strain on them too, and as a result they ended up acting towards him the opposite of how they really wanted to act. Instead of being comforting or calming, Yukari found herself becoming more and more irritated with him for putting on an act. When she wanted to smile she snapped at him instead, and when she wanted to ask, she argued. Akihiko was having the same trouble in his own way. Instead of being approachable he got a lot more withdrawn. Junpei shrugged it off and spent more time with Minato. It was pretty soothing to be with someone who never asked any awkward questions or gave him significant looks.

But he couldn't really go that way forever. Eventually he needed someone who would _react_. Akihiko was still avoiding him, so that left one other person.

Yukari was perched on one of the stools in the back of the lounge, thinking to herself, when she felt a tug at her elbow. She turned, annoyed at her thoughts being interrupted, and then wrinkled her brow when she saw Junpei standing there. Now there was just a faint shadow over his eye, barely noticeable.

"What do you want?" she asked suspiciously. Somehow every interaction between the two of them over the past couple of days had been tense.

"The pleasure of your company." He said the words sarcastically and her brows drew together closer. He saw her defiance and smiled a little. "Come on, it's a nice night and Koro-chan needs a walk."

"Don't see why you can't walk him yourself," she said, but as she said it she was getting up to go with him.

They ended up walking Koromaru all over the city; not just at the shrine. He didn't seem to mind, and the evening really was a fine one. They let the sunlight fade to colors and then set before they started to turn their steps back towards the dorm.

During all this time they hadn't really spoken much. It was enough to watch Koromaru running around, excited to have so much freedom. But when the sky darkened and the air cooled, the streets got more silent and there was nothing to fill the stillness in the air between them. It became oppressive.

Finally Yukari turned to Junpei. "You know what I hate about you?"

"It sounds like you're gonna tell me." Junpei watched as Koromaru sniffed at a shut-up newspaper stand.

"I hate how you're acting right now! Most of the time we can't get you to shut up about how you feel, so why is this any different?"

"Just because I haven't talked to _you_ doesn't mean I haven't talked to anyone, you know…"

Yukari was brought up short by Junpei's harsh words. She flushed and stuttered, "I-I'm sorry. I didn't think about it like that--"

Junpei cut her off. "I didn't talk to anyone."

He watched Koromaru a little longer and then continued, "My dad even built a shrine to her, you know. He wanted me to think she'd died instead of just run off. I don't know why he thought that'd be less painful. I'd personally like it if I knew she was happy, somewhere…" Yukari looked at him, biting her bottom lip.

"Anyway, that day I finally called him on it. I shouldn't have. Everybody needs _something_ to hold onto, after all. But I even took that away from him."

"That's not your fault--"

"I know what I did. Then we fought…I think he got the worst of it. I haven't called him since. I…" Junpei's voice got a little rougher. "I broke her picture…I didn't mean to."

Yukari realized offhandedly that Koromaru was out of sight now. Maybe he'd found something new and interesting to sniff…or maybe he was giving them their space. There was no one else on the street.

Junpei had been waiting for her to say something, but she hadn't spoken in awhile. She didn't even look like she was still listening, he thought bitterly. "What's so damn interesting about the sidewalk?" he finally said.

"I was just thinking that there was no one around."

"Heh, you afraid I'll jump you or something?"

Yukari didn't answer.


	4. Battle Royale

Mitsuru was returning very late back to the dorm herself. When she got back she was puzzled to see Koromaru waiting patiently outside the entrance. She let him in and he licked her hand gratefully, then settled down planning to nap in front of the television. As she was setting her things down Mitsuru looked around the lounge. There weren't many people present at this time of the evening. She turned to Aigis.

"Aigis, do you know how Koromaru got out? Did someone take him out?"

"I am sorry, I was not here. I will ask him." Aigis bent to Koromaru for a moment and the two of them had a quiet conference. Then Aigis sat up again. "Yukari and Junpei took him out. They have not returned."

Mitsuru frowned. "They just left him there?" She scratched Koromaru behind his ears.

Aigis shook her head. "He left them." She paused a moment and then said, "He thought they might not wish to be disturbed."

Mitsuru's eyes widened and she cleared her throat. A dull sound that normally wouldn't have been noticed rang out across the suddenly quiet lobby. She turned to see Akihiko bent over to pick up one of his boxing gloves from where it had fallen to the floor. His face was expressionless; he might not have even heard.

She turned back to Koromaru and continued petting him for awhile contemplatively. When she rose to go back to her seat, he lay back down and was sleeping in seconds.

When Junpei and Yukari got back, he held the door open for her but neither of them spoke or even looked at each other. Everyone already in the lobby did their very best not to notice anything. Minato, who had come in later and _hadn't_ noticed anything, remarked that he planned on going to Tartarus tonight. Junpei nodded but Yukari said she wouldn't be going because she thought she must be getting a cold.

Akihiko looked concerned. "That's too bad." He turned to Junpei and said mildly, "You'd better be careful not to get it too."

Mitsuru shot him a glare. Everyone else tried to look blank (in Aigis and Minato's case, this didn't require any effort). Junpei said he didn't know what Akihiko was talking about and the topic mercifully died.

Later that night after they all got back Junpei sat up late in his room. He didn't know just what he expected, but he knew something was going to happen. Today had been too damned messed up for something _not_ to happen. For about an hour or so he just stared at the walls, thinking about this and that, but that got a little boring after awhile. When the knock at his door finally did come, he was sprawled out on the floor half-propped on the pile of things there, reading. He didn't normally read a lot but it wasn't like Koushun Takami was really hard to understand or anything.

In the novel, Shogo and Shuya had just run into each other again. The body of their classmate lay between them on the ground as the two of them stared each other down silently, sizing each other up. A little distance away Noriko stood, frozen, watching the two men. Junpei shoved a movie stub between the pages and closed the book, leaving the three characters trapped in that moment of fear and uncertainty. "Yeah, come in."

The door opened and shut. Junpei sat up a little. "It's pretty late for you to be up."

Akihiko kicked an empty can of Mad Bull and watched it roll under the bed. "You're up too."

"I was expecting company."

"…should I leave?"

"Nah. I mean, I figured it'd either be you or--"

Another knock at the door. Akihiko stiffened and half turned around. Junpei paused in mid-sentence.

Yukari, impatient, burst in.

Whatever she had been about to say died on her lips as she realized Akihiko was there too. She took a step back towards the door, dismayed. Akihiko's look of shock slowly dissolved into a deep frown. Junpei merely looked to the side. Finally, he broke the silence.

"So, what did you need, Yuka-tan?"

Yukari was still speechless. Akihiko said gently, "Are you sure you should be up and around? …with your cold and all."

"I made that up so I wouldn't have to…I mean…" Her cheeks were burning.

"You didn't want to see him, did you? Looks like you changed your mind, though…" Akihiko's voice was matter-of-fact. After all, Yukari wasn't the one he was angry with at the moment.

She looked down, ashamed, and Junpei rose irritably. "All right you two, that's enough of that."

Akihiko turned to face Junpei but didn't say anything. The force of his look was enough to make the other boy flinch back a little. Then he dug around until he found Junpei's chair (it wasn't easy), turned it around, and sat down in it. "I want to see what happened earlier."

"…what?" The cry might have come from either one of them, but Junpei said it first.

Akihiko rested his arms on the chair back and looked at him pointedly. "Last time, she got to watch…so it's only fair. Now show me what you two did."

"But…we really didn't do anything!" Yukari protested.

"I'm sorry, but I don't believe you."

Yukari was about to deny it again when Junpei cut in. "Fine, you want to see what we did?" He pulled her to him, meeting her outraged resistance with the same stubbornness Akihiko had gotten used to over the months.

Akihiko watched them struggle and wondered if what they were doing counted as making out or fighting. He decided it was both since she was letting it go on for so long. He felt wrong watching them but he also felt something else and he was uncomfortably aware of this. Finally he said, "Okay, **stop**."

Yukari panted a couple of curses at Junpei and shoved him away. It took him a second to regain his balance and then he stood up straight again and pulled his hat back into place.

"I think that was roughly what we did…tell me if I missed anything."

"I hate you!"

"You got a real funny way of showing it."

Yukari just stood there fuming. Junpei shrugged and plopped down on the bed. "Anyway, it wasn't like we planned it or anything. So what's the big deal?"

Akihiko looked at his gloves. "I wasn't there." He hadn't meant to say it to either of them, hadn't really known it for himself, but that was what had bothered him so much. They had done something behind his back, never mind that it was something a lot more innocent than the things he and Junpei did, and he didn't like it.

"Senpai…" Yukari looked down. She clearly felt awful.

Junpei, on the other hand, didn't take his eyes off Akihiko. "You're here now."

Akihiko looked up.


	5. Right and Wrong

"…am I doing this right?" Yukari's voice was slightly muffled.

Akihiko glanced at Junpei's face. "Well, I don't think he wants you to _stop_…" Junpei managed to shake his head violently. Yukari began again a little more confidently, and Junpei ground his teeth and let out a moan.

This was the second time the three of them had been alone in someone's room like this, and it didn't look like anything had really changed. _No,_ Akihiko thought, _that's not quite right…this is more tense. _And "tense" made it intense. He was still just watching them for the most part, but he knew that wasn't going to last much longer.

He had already realized that he'd been avoiding Junpei because he was worried about a repeat of their last time together. Junpei had made him be rough as hell and Akihiko had liked doing it. He didn't want to be that kind of person, but as he looked at the two of them and felt himself wanting to do certain things…rip off that stupid pink sweater…force those teeth of Junpei's open…he had to admit that maybe sometimes he _was_ that kind of person. Maybe everyone was…under the right circumstances.

Yukari was looking at him, her eyes barely visible above Junpei's thigh. Maybe she could tell the way his thoughts were running; anyway, something made her cheeks redden. A moment later though her eyes squeezed shut and she tried not to cough. Akihiko found himself hauling her up and tilting her chin back. She tasted like Junpei…of course. He stopped when he felt nails digging into his chest, and Yukari leaned forward sharply, panting for air.

Junpei was recovered by now and had seen most of it. He dragged himself up a little higher and sat up straight, pressing his forehead against hers. "…you alright?" She nodded and looked at him.

Junpei rubbed the back of his head and looked back at her a little awkwardly. "Well…I guess now we know you were doing it right, anyway."

"Oh, _thanks_." Yukari looked back over her shoulder, suddenly a little alarmed. "Um…Senpai?"

Akihiko had been in the middle of trying to get the pink sweater off. "…oh…sorry, I guess I should have asked first."

"N-no, that's fine, I mean…" Yukari gulped and raised her hands to help him. As soon as they were exposed he leaned down and bit one of her shoulders softly, making her shiver. Junpei frowned.

"Don't tell me you're already getting lonely over there." Akihiko looked back at him deliberately over Yukari's shoulder as he let his hands wander further down. Junpei was about to answer with something cutting when Yukari interrupted him.

"…I don't want to be in the middle of some fight between the two of you." Her voice trembled the slightest bit, but Junpei thought it was from nervousness at being touched rather than any hurt feelings she might have. If she brought in morality now, maybe she thought she wouldn't get swept up any further. Junpei realized this, but he wasn't interested in morality at the moment.

"Really, Yuka-tan? I thought that was exactly where you wanted to be…in the middle."

Akihiko felt her stiffen under his palms as his own eyes widened a little bit at Junpei's tone. He looked down at her face, worried that she was going to cry or something, but the only thing on her features at the moment was shock. It made him angry. "Hey, Junpei, what the _hell_. Don't talk to her like that."

"And what about you, Senpai? Where do you want to be?"

Akihiko glared. What he really wanted to do right now wasn't something he could just say out loud. It had a lot in common with what he had done to Junpei the other night. But there was also Yukari to consider. Maybe she didn't just want to watch this time…and he didn't want to ignore her or tell her to leave. That really would hurt her feelings. Dammit, this hadn't even been his idea in the first place, so why was he the only one worrying about it?

"Yukari…" Akihiko's face was serious. "What _do_ you want? Anything, or nothing, is fine."

"I…" Yukari's voice finally found some of its old spirit. "Right now I just want him to shut up!"

Akihiko blinked and then said, "Done." He moved suddenly and flipped Junpei over roughly, pinning his arms behind his back with one hand and forcing Junpei's head down with the other. Junpei gasped and protested as his face was pressed against the sheets, but Akihiko's grip was uncompromising. He looked up at Yukari. "I thought maybe if you wanted, you could..." Junpei's face was roughly between her knees and after a moment she understood his meaning.

"Oh." She gulped and shifted a little. "I don't know, that's--" She looked down at Junpei and bit her lip. In low light his eyes really looked almost black. They looked that way now as he stared up at her. Akihiko lessened the pressure on the back of his head a little and Junpei drew in a breath and shifted his gaze so that he was looking directly in front of him. She realized then that he wanted it too.

Akihiko let the two of them get settled before he unbuckled his belt. By this point he was pretty certain Yukari and he had both been played, but he was used to it by now. He watched Junpei and thought that to be fair, he probably didn't know he was doing it. Someone like him, who didn't know who he was yet, or what he wanted…it wasn't too strange that Junpei couldn't make up his mind. At least Akihiko was there to keep an eye on him…this year. After that, he could only hope Yukari was up to the task. He watched her tilt her head back and breathe more rapidly, the hollow of her neck pulsing under that collar of hers, and stroked the back of Junpei's head as it moved in her lap. Then, still not releasing Junpei's arms, he poised himself and slid into him.

Yukari must have noticed from the way Junpei was moving that something had changed, because she opened her eyes slightly. Her breath caught in her throat as she found herself face to face with Akihiko while he was doing _that_. She'd watched him in a moment like this once before, of course, but his role had been reversed with Junpei's. Now he was completely different, but somehow it wasn't unfamiliar. She had seen this intensity, and this forcefulness, in him when he was fighting. As she watched he let Junpei's arms go and put a hand on her shoulder, pulling her forward. As he kissed her, Junpei clutched at one of her thighs and groaned between them. For a long moment the three of them remained unbroken.

Then Akihiko ducked his head suddenly and pulled Junpei's hips closer. Yukari watched in a daze as Junpei sank his fingers into the bed and arched his back. She never knew afterwards if it was his mouth at that moment or the sight of them together that made her lose control. Junpei's hair wasn't long enough to clutch at so her fingers ended up dragging roughly against the back of his head, leaving red trails that faded almost immediately. After she was done he panted and pressed his face to her stomach, pulling her partway under him, and stayed against her like that listening to her heart as it hammered in her chest.

Akihiko was starting to lose control himself at this point. The two of them lying there in front of him filled him with some violent, undefined emotion. He didn't feel envy, or anger anymore…instead it was almost as if the two of them _belonged_ to him. He felt instinctively that he could do anything he wanted with them right now, anything at all, and he dug his fingers into Junpei's hips as the thought of that made him pulse harder. Junpei braced himself against the bed and pushed back against him, willing him to go further.

Yukari held Junpei tightly, a little afraid for him. She could feel how hard Akihiko must be thrusting into him now, didn't it hurt? But his face on her chest didn't contort into pain, or even discomfort…instead Junpei's expression relaxed, and the sounds that he made as he put a shaking hand on one of her arms weren't sounds of pain. Akihiko reached down and wrapped one hand around him, working him roughly until he came. Then he leaned in to kiss Junpei's neck, and Yukari realized that Akihiko still knew how to be gentle. She watched, no longer afraid, as Akihiko's eyes drifted shut and he finally allowed himself to follow the two of them.

This time around there wasn't any question of lying stiffly side-by-side on the narrow bed and talking about what was right and what was wrong. Like casualties of some unnamed war they lay where they had fallen. It was a very long while before anyone even spoke.

"I hope you're happy." Akihiko didn't even bother to open his eyes. His remark was addressed to Junpei.

"I didn't ask you guys to come here."

"Doesn't matter."

Yukari stirred a little and groaned. "It must be so late…ugh, I don't want to get up."

Akihiko smiled tiredly. "Then don't. We can always hide you in the pile if someone knocks on the door."

Junpei looked annoyed. "My room isn't _that_ filthy."

"Whatever, Stupei…" Yukari cupped a hand over her mouth and yawned.

"I told you not to call me that."

Akihiko fell asleep to the sound of the two of them arguing.


End file.
